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1,1-DICHLOROETHYLENE
FACT SHEET ON A DRINKING WATER CHEMICAL CONTAMINANT
GENERAL INFORMATION
Synonyms:
•	1,1-DCE; Vinylidene Chloride; Dlchloroethene
Chemical Description:
•	Synthetic organic compound; no natural sources
Properties:
•	Clear, highly volatile liquid
•	Limited soluOiiity in water
•	Boiling point, 31.5°C
Production and Use:
•	Production in 1980 was about 200 million pounds
•	Major use is as a chemical intermediate in
manufacturing poiyvinylidene copolymers, which
are used for such things as food wrap
ENVIRONMENTAL PROFILE
Occurrence:
•	Not commonly found in drinking water, but may
occur at levels of 0.1 parts per million (ppm) or more
in surface water
•	Quantities as high as 40 ppm reported in wells
contaminated with other chlorinated solvents
•	No information available on 1,1 -DCE concentrations
in food, but because 1,1-DCE is volatile, no
contamination of food is expected
•	Air in urban areas may contain 1,1-OCE In the parts
per trillion concentration range; air near
manufacturing may contain 1,1-DCE in parts per
billion range
Releases:
•	Enters the environment primarily by evaporation
during manufacturing; industrial effluents to water
and land may contain smart amounts of 1,1-DCE .
Environmental Fate:
•	Persistent and mobile in soils; is expected to migrate
with ground water
•	Based on information about similar compounds. 1,1-
DCE is expected to evaporate rapiaiy from surface
waters and degrade within hours in air
•	Expectea to remain in grouna water for months or
years
•	Not likely to bioaccumulate in individual animais or
food chains
HEALTH EFFECTS
Humans:
•	At high concentrations in air—central nervous system
(CNS) depression and unconsciousness
•	In exposed occupational worKers—CNS and liver
defects
•	Data are inadequate to assess the carcinogenic
potential of 1,1-DCE in humans; it is currently ciassrfiea
as a group C: Possible human carcinogen because
evidence is limited in animals and absent in numans
Experimental Animals:
•	Single oral doses in rats—adverse liver effects
•	Long-term orai exposure in rats—adverse liver ana kidney
effects
•	Toxic to fetuses; developmental effects aPsent in
rodents after oral or inhalation exposure
•	Mutagenic in in vitro bacterial tests after metaoolic
activation, but not in mammalian assay systems
•	No reports of tumors from oral ingestion of 1,1-DCE;
however, mammary and kianey tumors reportea in
rats exposed to 1,1 -DCS in air; 1,1 -DCE is a skin tumor
initiator (no tumors by subcutaneous route)

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REGULATORY HISTORY
ANALYTICAL METHODS
Existing Standards:
•	Clean Air Act (CAA): Not available
•	Clean Water Act (CWA): Registered
•	Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA):
Listea for ground-water monitoring
•	Supertund (CERCLA): Reportable Quantity 100
pounas
•	SARA: Listed
•	Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide
Act (FIFRA): Not available
•	Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA): On Inventory
HEALTH INFORMATION
Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCLG):
•	Non-enforceable levels based solely on an evdluatlon
of possible neoith risks and exposure, ond taking into
consideration o mdrgin for public sofety
•	Set at zero for cancer-cousing chemicals in wdter
MCLG for 1,1 -DCS - 0.007 mg/L
Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCL):
•	Legally enforceable levels for contaminants in public
drinking water supplies
•	Bdsed on heolth risks dssocioted with the
contaminants, analytical methods for their assay,
and water treatment feasibility and practicality
aspects
MCL tor 1,1-DCE ¦ 0.007 mg/L (adopted 7/8/87)
EPA Health Advisories (HA):
•	Short-term HAs: Provide acceptable concentrations
of contaminants in water for up to 10 aay exposures,
primarily to evaluate the public health risk resulting
from an accidentdl spill or on emergency
contamination situation
•	Longer-term HAs: Provide guiddnce for persistent
water contomination situotions to cover o period of
up to 7 yeors
•	Lifetime HAs: Derived In the sdme way as an MCLG
•	Gas chromatography
EPA Methoa 502
WATER TREATMENT
Permanent Treatment:
Best Available Technology:
-	granuiar activated cdroon adsorption
-	packed tower aeration
-	air stripping
SHORT-TERM HAZARD ELIMINATION
•	If the drinking wafer standards are exceeded. install
BAT or use dn dlterndtive drinking wdter supply such
ds bottled water
•	Boiling water might remove but not degrade 1.1-
DCE—potential innalation hazard
ADDITIONAL HELP
•	State or county health officials can indicate a certified
idborcitory for testing
•	Experts in the stdte Depdrtment of Environmentol
Protection or Natural Resources may aiso be of heio
•	The EPA has toll-free numbers for further information
on drinking wdter qudlity, treatment technologies,
for obtoining Hedlth Advisories, and fcr other
regulatory informotlon
•	EPA Hotlines ore dvdildble Monddy througn Friody,
8:30 d.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST:
•Safe Drinking Water.
•Air Quality:
•National Pesticides:
•Supertund/RCRA:
800-426-4791
800-631-2700
800-858-PEST
800-424-9346
800-343-3958
For information on the Clean Water Act, cell (202)
260-7301
For information on the Toxic Substances Control Act,
call (202) 554-1404
Heolth Advisories:
Short-term HA for a child ¦ 1 mg/L
Longer-term HA fat a child ¦ 1 mg/L
Longer-term HA for an adult ¦ 3.5 mg/L

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